Atlanta Falcons vs Carolina Panthers takes place on Sunday in Week 9 of the NFL 2013 regular season in an all-NFC South match up. The Falcons are leaving it very late if they are going to make any sort of push for the postseason, however, the Panthers are still very much alive and kicking and if they can have a solid second half to the season they could be in with a fighting chance of the playoffs. Today's game will start at 1 p.m. ET and can be watched online through free live stream (details below).

(Photo: Reuters/Chris Keane)

Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) throws a pass against the Denver Broncos during an NFL football game in Charlotte, North Carolina November 11, 2012.

The Panthers are 4-3 and second in the NFC South coming into this game. No matter today's result they will remain in second place, as the New Orleans Saints are clear at the top with a 6-1 record, and their opponents today, the Atlanta Falcons, are way back on 2-5.

Another loss today here for the Falcons would just about be the nail in the coffin for their season. Their 31-23 Week 7 win over Tampa Bay was followed up last week by a very lackluster performance against the Arizona Cardinals, and they went down 13-27 with a whimper. There are not many signs that the Falcons will be turning around their season anytime soon, but a win today would at least give them renewed hope.

However, the Carolina Panthers will not be in any charitable mood and they have their own agenda to deal with. They are on the fringes of relevancy this season, and must improve on their 4-3 record if they want to make the postseason. Things could go either way for them, and it all depends on how they can push on in the second half of the season.

The Falcons will be looking to Matt Ryan to inspire them to a win today. He is 205 of 305 attempts for 2,223 yards and 14 touchdowns. He has helped the Falcons to a 4th rank in the NFL for pass offense, with the team posting an average of 300.4 yards per game on pass. Their rush though has been almost non-existent; they rank 32nd in the NFL for rush, gaining just 62.4 yards per game in that department.

Atlanta Falcons vs Carolina Panthers will start at 1 p.m. ET and can be watched on TV on the Fox network, or online through free live stream by clicking here.